Land of Valencia

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Comunitat Valenciana
Comunidad Valenciana
Land of Valencia official flag Land of Valencia official coat of arms
Image:Locator map of Valenciana.png
Capital Valencia
Official languages Valencian (Catalan) and Castillian (Spanish)
Area
 – total
 – % of Spain
Ranked 8th
 23 255 km²
 4,6%
Population
 – Total (2003)
 – % of Spain
 – Density
Ranked 4th
 4 326 708
 10,3%
 186,05/km²
Demonym
 – English
 – Valencian
 – Spanish

 Valencian
 valencià/valenciana
 valenciano/valenciana
Statute of Autonomy July 10, 1982
ISO 3166-2 VC
Parliamentary
representation

 Congress seats
 Senate seats
 32
 5
President Francisco Enrique Camps Ortiz (PP)
Generalitat Valenciana
Map of Catalan Countries with current political borders
Enlarge
Map of Catalan Countries with current political borders
The Catalan-speaking world
Language
Grammar
Phonology and orthography
Institut d'Estudis Catalans
Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua
History
History of Catalonia · Counts of Barcelona
Crown of Aragon · Treaty of the Pyrenees
War of the Spanish Succession
Geography
Catalan Countries
Catalonia · Valencia · Balearic Islands
Northern Catalonia · Franja de Ponent
Andorra · Alghero
Government
Generalitat de Catalunya
Generalitat Valenciana
Consell General de les Valls (Andorra)
Traditions
Castells · Correfocs
Myths and legends
Arts
Catalan literature · Antoni Gaudí · Modernisme
La Renaixença · Noucentisme
Salvador Dalí · Joan Miró
Sports
FC Barcelona · Valencia CF · RCD Mallorca
Vila-real CF · RCD Espanyol · Llevant UD
USA Perpinyà
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The Land of Valencia is the historical territory of the former Kingdom of Valencia which was created in the 13th century, as a result of Christian colonization by Catalans and Aragonese of the Islamic taifas Valencia and Dénia, commanded by James I "the Conqueror". It is situated in the East of the Iberian Peninsula, between the Sènia and Segura rivers, and it has 840 km of land border and 518 km of coast along the Mediterranean Sea, where are situated the island of Nova Tabarca and the Columbretes islands, which are under Valencian administration.

Today it is an autonomous community of Spain, and Comunitat Valenciana (Comunidad Valenciana in Spanish) has been its official name since 1982, when its Statute of Autonomy was approved. It is also known as País Valencià (Sp. País Valenciano), and this name is also included in the same Statute. It borders Castile-La Mancha and Aragon to the West, the Region of Murcia to the South, and Catalonia to the North. The official languages are Castillian (Spanish) and Valencian (Catalan), although the last one is considered legally the proper language, according the "Law of Use and Education of Valencian" approved in 1983.

Traditionally the territory is divided into comarques, and in 1883 it was, along with the rest of Spain, divided into provinces. There are 32 comarques, and three provinces: Castelló/Castellón, València/Valencia, and Alacant/Alicante.

Major Valencian cities and important towns include:

  • València (Sp. Valencia) 780.653, capital of the province of the same name, in the river Turia. Famous festival of the Fallas on March 19.
  • Alacant (Sp. Alicante) 316.178, capital of the province of the same name, in the Mediterranean coast. Famous for its hard nougat or turrón duro (Valencian torró dur) and Postiguet, Albufereta and San Juan Beaches. The famous festival of the Bonfires of Saint John is in June. The city hall and the Santa Barbara Castle are historical monuments.
  • Castelló de la Plana (Sp. Castellón de la Plana) 160.714, capital of the province of the same name.
  • Elx (Sp. Elche) 207.163, famous for the wood of palm trees called Palmeral, and for the Mystery Play, which has been declared part of World Heritage by UNESCO.
  • Torrevieja (Vl. Torrevella) 77.943, in the south, very important tourist centre with a lot of hotels, apartments and tourist accommodation. With La Mata Beach.
  • Orihuela (Vl. Oriola) 67.731, on the Segura river, historical city with palaces, churches and the Cathedral, in the "Vega Baja" (Valencian Vega Baixa), a very rich kitchen garden with oranges, lemon and other products.
  • Benidorm 64.267, a major holiday resort, dubbed Beniyork because of its many skyscrapers — including Spain's tallest, the 52-storey Gran Hotel Bali.
  • Elda,54.086 important producer of shoes and wine in the Vinalopo land.
  • Xixona (Sp. Jijona), near Alicante, famous for its soft nougat or torró de Xixona (Sp. turrón de Jijona).
  • Vila-real (Sp. Villarreal), important producer of ceramics and brick.
  • Buñol (Vl. Bunyol) famous for the tomatina, on the last Wednesday of August.

Major rivers:


Top of the Tower of Serrans, with the Valencian flag fluttering.
Enlarge
Top of the Tower of Serrans, with the Valencian flag fluttering.


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